Team India’s opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill set the stage on fire on Sunday, September 21, in the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4s clash against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The two youngsters from Punjab gave India the perfect start, piling on 105 runs in less than 10 overs. Abhishek was the star of the show, smashing breathtaking 74 runs from just 39 balls while Shubman Gill added a quickfire 47 from 28. Their partnership was built on fearless strokeplay, with Abhishek Sharma striking six fours and five towering sixes and Shubman Gill finding the boundary rope eight times.
India chased down the target comfortably and secured a six-wicket victory, with Abhishek deservedly named Player of the Match. His innings was not just about power but also about rewriting records. He launched his first ball of the innings for a six off Shaheen Shah Afridi, becoming the only Indian to hit a six on the very first ball of an innings in T20Is on multiple occasions.
Later he smashed another maximum which was his 50th (six) in international T20s, reaching the milestone faster than any batter from full member nations, on just his 331st ball. To add to the night’s milestones, he raced to his half-century in 24 deliveries, eclipsing Yuvraj Singh’s long-standing record of the fastest T20I fifty for India against Pakistan, which had come off 29 balls back in 2012.
The fiery contest wasn’t limited to bat and ball. Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill were also involved in heated exchanges with Pakistan pacers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf, adding spice to the already electric atmosphere. But after the win, both the openers let their bats do the talking on social media as well.
Shubman Gill’s post read, “Game speaks, not words,” while Abhishek shared photos from the match with the caption, “You talk, we win”. Their words quickly went viral, here are the tweets:
https://x.com/ShubmanGill/status/1969848722172604569
https://x.com/OfficialAbhi04/status/1969856754549915928
Currently ranked as the world’s No. 1 T20I batter, Abhishek’s stunning form has once again underlined his importance to the Indian side. The focus now shifts to India’s next Super 4s clash, where Abhishek and his teammates will take on Bangladesh in Dubai on Wednesday, September 24.
Well played, team India!
